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Rental Property - Licensing

Every rental dwelling, including single-family rental dwellings and rental units in owner-occupied duplexes, and rooming and shared-bath units (unless they are in a licensed lodging house) must have a rental license.

Minneapolis uses a tiered rental license billing structure. A property's tier is based on its rental history, and focuses primarily on the condition and maintenance of the property itself. More information about tiering and the tiering criteria can be found here.

Why License Rental Properties?

The intent of the rental license ordinance is to:

Promote the health, safety, and welfare of the general public.

Assure preservation of the existing housing supply.

Help maintain property values.

Work toward eliminating substandard and deteriorating rental housing.

Maintain a living environment that contributes to healthful individual and family living.

General Rules

A rental license is required for any dwelling unit where the owner is not occupying the unit, even if no rent is paid or if the unit is occupied by a relative.

The rental license year runs from September 1 to August 31 of the following year.

Annual renewal notices are mailed out in late July, and payment is due by August 31.

Licenses are not transferable.

A Who to Call poster (pdf) must be posted in the property with the rental license certificate in a conspicuous location.

Any changes to the names, addresses, and other information concerning the persons on this application must be provided in writing to the Department of Regulatory Services within ten days.

When selling a rental dwelling, the owner must notify the buyer in writing of all unresolved housing violation orders and administrative citations issued by the Department of Regulatory Services.

Landlords are required by City ordinance to notify tenants or prospective tenants of pending mortgage foreclosure or cancellation of contract for deed involving the licensed property.

Applying for a Rental License

There are two ways to submit an application for a Minneapolis rental license. You can apply in person at Minneapolis Development Review, or you can mail in a completed application to:

You can find a downloadable copy of the application here. Be sure to read the instructions on the last two pages of the application.

Updating Rental License Information

Requests to change a contact address or phone number on a rental license can be made over the phone by calling 612.673.3000. Changing or adding a new contact person of record requires a resubmittal of the rental license application with a notarized signature from the new contact and the owner.

If a person’s name has legally changed due to marriage or other reasons, a copy of the marriage certificate or a signed and notarized affidavit of the name change must be submitted.

Your local contact will receive all written communication from the City of Minneapolis, including the annual renewal and violation notices, so it’s important that this individual’s contact information is kept current.

Foreclosed Properties

Rental properties in foreclosure must maintain a rental license until the redemption date stated on the foreclosure documents. The redemption date and other foreclosure information can be found here.

Relative Homestead

If the property is a relative homestead, a rental license is required. If you occupy the property and have a family member living with you in the same unit, a rental license is not required. For more information about how to relative homestead a property, please call 612.673.3000.

Roommates

A rental license is not required for your roommates as long as you own and occupy the property. However, the number of roommates you can have is limited by the Housing Maintenance and Zoning Codes. Your license will include this information, and you can also find it here.

Closing a Rental License

If a property no longer requires a rental license, you must notify the department in writing or call 612.673.3000.

Last updated Jun 9, 2017

QUICK LINKS

Accessibility: For reasonable accommodations or alternative formats, contact 311. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to call 311 at 612-673-3000. TTY users can call 612-673-2157 or 612-673-2626.